an in-depth look at music theory, structure & composition

Ice Cream and How to Publish Your Music on Major Streaming Services

My latest pop tune, “Ice Cream”, was inspired by Rick James and Prince. It’s an electro-funk composition with a super catchy beat.

This is my first pop tune available on all major streaming services, see the links below to check it out.

I thought I’d share what I learned about the process.

The publication process:

Have it mixed and mastered professionally. It makes a difference, especially when streaming on different platforms. The mastering engineer will add correct metadata, so it can be tracked and monetized.

Register it with either BMI or ASCAP. I’m a member of ASCAP. They will give you a registration number connected to the metadata in your track.

Publish it through CD Baby or any other publishing company. CD Baby charges a one-time, $35 fee for a single or $50 for an album. They’ll need your registration number from ASCAP or BMI to track downloads and streaming.

Once it’s published, it’ll can take several days or several weeks for your song to first appear on Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Tidal and all the rest. CD Baby will track the streams for you and send a check each quarter.

Next, you got to promote it through paid advertising, digital radio, terrestrial radio and/or social media. That’s where the real work begins. Nobody will find it unless you push it.